By Christopher Tremblay
Staff Sports Writer

Having lost only two seniors to graduation last year, is this the year that the Ashland girls’ lacrosse team rises to their potential and gives the rest of the Tri Valley League a scare? 

Last spring the Clockers finished 11-9 and earned themselves an 11 seed in the Division 2 State Tournament. Although they were able to take out Marblehead 10-5 in the first round, they were sent packing by Masconomet Regional in their next game. 

Having only lost two starters, one being their goalie, Ashland is looking to keep things going this spring, get back to the tournament and hopefully push past their second-round defeat of a year ago. 

“Last year getting past the first round was something that Ashland hadn’t done in a long time,” said Clocker Coach Katie Blasi. “This year we are definitely looking to take it that one step further and we have the ability to do just that.”

Ashland will field a very experienced team this year including 10 seniors, many who have been playing varsity lacrosse together for the past few years. In addition to playing together, they know how what to expect within the league and how to go out and be competitive and take this team further.

Blasi will be relying on four senior quad-captains to lead the team on and off the team this spring. Anna Magennis and Julia Schreiber will patrol the midfield for the clockers, while Olivia Boulanger and Maggie Carter will be on the defensive side of the field.

According to the Coach, all four athletes are very important to this year’s success. Magennis, who is committed to play at UCONN next year, is a very strong and fast player with outstanding stick skills, while Schreiber is also fast, but brings a very aggressiveness to her game in addition to her scoring she can also feed her teammates giving them the opportunity to put the ball behind the goalkeeper.

Carter and Boulanger are very strong defenders; they’re the quarterbacks of the defenders making sure that things work smoothly, and they lead by example. Another defender, senior Lizzie Forster, who will be heading to Southern New Hampshire University, is a four-year varsity player with physical skills.

Three offensive players that Blasi is looking to this season will be senior Morgan Dubanowitz, sophomore Lili Vitti and junior Paige Tripp. Dubanowitz, who has stepped up her play over the past two years, is a lefty that can make great cuts on the field while also bringing a great shooting ability. Tripp is also a left-handed shooter that is aggressive and an impact player that should be helpful in the draw circle. Vitti is a combination of the other two girls, performing incredible cuts to get herself open, while also being a very aggressive individual that will fight to the end in transition to get her team the turnovers. 

Having lost their goalkeeper from a year ago, Blasi will be looking at two athletes to fill the vacancy. Senior Heidi Hausmann and freshman Allannah Duffy were battling it out for the open position at the time of this writing.

“We’re still working things out to see which of the two is going to be the starter,” the Clocker Coach said. “So far it’s been really tough as both girls have looked really good.”

Hausmann was the junior varsity keeper last spring and has a little more experience. According to Blasi, she also has a good lacrosse IQ and is smart with the ball. Duffy, although only a freshman, has shown herself to be a great athlete that employs an aggressiveness and is not afraid to come out of her crease if needed.

In addition to the returning athletes, Ashland will also have a strong group of freshmen; 10 of them in total between the junior varsity and varsity teams. Five of the 10 freshman will see action on the varsity squad this season and should earn themselves some quality experience and be ready to step in and take over the team next year. 

“Having the year of experience under their belts, they should be able to elevate this team and get up to speed,” Blasi said. “There are a few who are starting this year and thus far have done rather well.”

Blasi believes that if the girls can put it all together then she is very optimistic that this team can take things that step further this year.